The Nixon Administration

Chapter 24, Section 1 Notes

Ch 24 Objectives #5 & #6 Summarize Nixon’s plans to lead the nation

on a more conservative course Analyze Nixon’s efforts to win the support

of Southern Democrats Describe the steps Nixon took to battle

stagflation Examine the importance of Nixon’s visits

to China and the Soviet Union

Main Idea and Terms/Names President Richard

Nixon tried to steer the country in a conservative direction and away from federal control

Richard Nixon New Federalism Revenue Sharing Family Assistance Plan Southern Strategy Stagflation OPEC Realpolitik Détente SALT I Treaty

Nixon’s Goals#1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.

Limit the federal government Reduce its power Reverse Johnson’s liberal policies

Restore America’s prestige and influence in the world Fix “Vietnam”

Nixon’s New Conservatism #1 Size & Power of Federal Gov.

Decrease the size and influence of the federal government

New Federalism Distribute some federal power to state/local

levels Revenue Sharing

More financial freedom for local govts. State/local govts could spend their federal

money how they saw fit

Nixon’s New Conservatism#2 Inefficiency of the welfare system

Welfare Reform Family Assistance Plan (FAP) Family of Four receives $1600/yr.

Could also earn supplemental income Unemployed participants would have to take

job training or any reasonable job Nixon’s bill was defeated

Both liberals and conservatives attacked it.

Nixon’s New Conservatism#2 Inefficiency of the welfare system

New Federalism – two faces Nixon needed support of Democrats Wanted to reduce liberal programs

Nixon couldn’t defeat some liberal programs Used Impoundment – withheld the necessary

funds Federal courts ordered the end of impounding

Law and Order#3 Vietnam & Domestic Disorder

Election of 1968 – Nixon promised to get out of Vietnam and restore law and order

Law and Order – FBI wiretapped liberals IRS audited anti-war and civil rights activists Nixon compiled “enemies list”

VP – Spiro Agnew confronted the liberal media

Southern Strategy#4 Nixon’s reelection

Southern Strategy#4 Nixon’s reelection Nixon tried to get support from white southern

democrats who were unhappy with federal desegregation policies and a liberal supreme court

Nixon favored slow desegregation, in 1969 he ordered the Dept. of Health, Ed, and Welfare to delay segregation in Miss. and SC ( Overturned by the Supreme Court)

Desegregation though school busing became a civil rights issue ( Whites in Detroit and Boston opposed it) Nixon was opposed to it

Nixon and the Supreme Court#5 Liberalism of SC Justices

Nixon criticized Warren Court for being too liberal

Four justices retired and Nixon chose replacements (conservatives)

Nominated Warren Burger as Chief Justice

Nixon and the Economy#6 Stagflation & Recession

Stagflation – high inflation and high unemployment Johnson’s Great Society and the Vietnam war

were funded with deficit spending Competition in world trade Flood of new workers Dependency on foreign oil – OPEC was

formed and increased the price of oil

Nixon and the Economy#6 Stagflation & Recession

Nixon tries to reverse deficit spending Raised taxes and cut the budget Congress rejected plan

Nixon tries to confront inflation Reduce amount of money in circulation Raise interest rates

Nixon controlled wages and prices Recession continued

OPEC and War During the 1960’s the Organization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries (OPEC) raised the price of oil The Six Days War in 1967 impacted prices The 1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and

Egypt and Syria rose prices The US sent massive military aid to Israel, Arab

OPEC nations cut oil sales to the US (Oil Embargo) By 1974 price increased 4x

Major gas lines and shortages in the US early, mid 1970’s

Nixon’s Foreign Policy Nixon’s top priority was peace in Vietnam Significant advances in US relationships

with China and Soviet Union

Nixon’s Foreign Policy Kissinger – Secretary of State

Realpolitik – “political realism” Foreign policy should be based on power NOT

ideology If weak country falls to communism – ignore it! Departure from containment US should confront powerful nations

Negotiations or military engagement

Nixon’s Foreign Policy#7. U.S. - China

Kissinger – Secretary of State Détente – more flexible approach to

Communist nations Ease Cold War tensions

Nixon visits China in 1972 Opened up diplomatic and economic ties Agreements – neither will dominate Pacific

and Taiwan would eventually reunite with China

Nixon Visits China Since 1949 the US had not recognized the

Communist Chinese Government “Ping-pong” diplomacy began in 1971 Nixon wanted to play the “China Card” and take

advantage of the rift between the China and the USSR

Nixon’s visit to China was symbolic and it opened up diplomatic and economic relations

Both would cooperate and participate in scientific and cultural exchanges

Nixon’s Foreign Policy#8 U.S. Soviet Relations

1972 - Nixon visits Moscow, Soviet Union Nixon and Brezhnev sign SALT I

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty Limited number of intercontinental missiles

1972 “peace was at hand” in Vietnam Peace was still elusive